The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

Yaroslav Hrytsak, Olexiy Haran, Taras Kuzio, Nico Lange and others warn that “With the rapid trajectory of Ukraine’s democratic regression under Yanukovych, the EU is faced with the likelihood that Ukraine could become an authoritarian regime”

There is a contradiction between the EU’s hurry to sign a free trade deal and Ukraines move away from European values.

Economic integration should include strict adherence to standards of democracy and rule of law by Ukraine.

The EU’s policy guidelines define deep and sustainable democracy as nations with free and fair elections; freedom of association, expression and assembly and a free press and media; the rule of law administered by an independent judiciary and right to a fair trial; fighting against corruption; security and law enforcement sector reform (including the police) and the establishment of democratic control over armed and security forces. Ukraine has regressed in all five areas.

With the rapid trajectory of Ukraine’s democratic regression under Yanukovych, the EU is faced with the likelihood that Ukraine could become an authoritarian regime.

The EU is not insisting on tough requirements in talks with Ukraine over an association agreement and free trade deal.

For the EU to continue this kind of dialogue would demonstrate its lack of seriousness in upholding European values.

Instead of closing down seemingly politically inspired criminal charges against former Prime Minister YuliaTymoshenko, former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko and 11 former members of the 2007-2010 Tymoshenko government, the Ukrainian authorities have not taken heed of European and American criticism of selective use of the judiciary. Instead, they have added new criminal charges to existing ones.